Link-forming machine.



PATENTBDMAY 19, 190s,

No; 728,320. y

' A. s. STANDISH.

LINK PORMING MACHINE. APILIOATI-OHl PILBD'S'EPT. 20, 1902.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

l IIIIIHII lllllllllll PATENTED -MAY 19, 1903.

A A. s. STANDISH.

LINK FQRMING MACHINE. .APPLIOTIONVPILED SEPT. 20, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 19, 1903. y

PATENT FETCE.

LINK-FORMING4 MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 728,320, dated May 19, 1903. Application filed September 20, 1902. Serial No. 124,237. (No model.)

To all whom it m/a/,z/ con/cern:

Beit known that I, ALBERT SENTER STAND- ISH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Link-Forming Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvel ments in machinery of that class employed for the manufactureof links from metal bars, and has for its principal object to provide a machine in which a metallic bar will be coiled in helical form to form links which may afterward be cut and united by Welding, the machine being of such character as to automatically accommodate itself to bar-iron of any diameter and by the changing of mandrels to form links of any desired size.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character in which the bar-iron may be subjected to any required pressure in accordance with the size of the links and the character of the metal.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter descri bed,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. Y

I n the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a link-forming machine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the machine. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of the spring-box and roller-bracket support detached from the machine. Fig. 5 -is a similar view of the stripper.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding` parts vthroughout the several gures of the drawings.

The mechanism is supported on azstrong metallic frame l, having suitable bearings for the support of a power-shaft 2 anda mandrel-shaft 3. The power-shaft is provided with belt-wheels 4 and a pinion 5, the latter 'intermeshing with a gear-wheel 6 on the mandrel-shaft.

The mandrel 7 is tapering in form and ovate in cross-section, as is usual in link-forming mandrels, and is preferably removably secured in a chuck or other holding device at the end of the mandrel-shaft in order to per-` mit its removal and the substitution of mandrels of different size or contour.

In the front portion of the frame is a vertical guide for the reception of a spring-box 9, preferably in the form of a hollow rectangular casing and adapted for the reception of a heavy compression-spring 10, the lower end of which bears against a plate 11, movable upwardly within the box and held from excessive downward movement byguard-strips 12, bolted to the open lower end of the casing in such manner as to prevent the passage of the plate. 7o Below the springbox the guiding-opening extends to the lioor or base-plate of the machine and forms a recess for the reception of a' spring-compressing device, preferably in in the form of a jack 12, of which the upper end .of the rack 13 bears against the lower face of the plate 1l. The jack is provided with an operating-lever 14, connected to the rack in any suitable manner and adapted to effect the raising or lowering of the rack-bar 8o to increase or decrease the stress of the spring.

Secured to the front face of the spring-box is a bracket 15, having a central opening in its upper fiat face for the reception of the pivot-stud 16 of a vertical frame 17, said frame havingfsuitable openings'for the reception of the supporting-spindle of a grooved pressure-roller 18 for holding the metal bar against the mandrel d uring the formation of 9o the links.

To the top of the frame is bolted a grooved block 19 for the reception of a stripper-plate l 20, theblock being vertically slotted for the passage of securingbolts for holding the stripper-plate in position and permitting any necessary vertical adjustment thereof. The stripper 21 is secured to or formed integral with the plate 2O and is in the form of a cam partly encircling the mandrel and adapted to roo force the successive turns of the bar from the mandrel as the links are formed.

In operation the bar is introduced between the grooved roller and the mandrel, and the latter is turned to fprm the bar into a helix, cach turn of the helix comprising a single link, andthe grooved roller rising and falling, as dictated by the contour of the mandrel. The relation between the mandrel, the stripper, and the grooved roller is such that in order to accomplish the best results the roller should not only be moved to a greater distance from the mandrel for the manufacture of links from bars of greater diameter, but should also varyits angular position with respect to the longitudinal aXis of the mandrel. When a bar of comparativelysmall diameter is being rolled into helical form, the helices are approximately at a right angle to the longitudinal 'axis of the mandrel, and the axes of the rollerand of the mandrel maybe substantially parallel with each other. As the diameter of the bar increases the pitchline between the helices is increased to a corresponding extent, and thus increases the angular line of the helices with respect to the axial line of the mandrel. By swiveling the roller-supporting frame 17 by means of the bolt 16 the roller will automatically move to proper position without the necessity of manual adjustment of the employment of adjusting or like screws or similar devices.

During the operation ofthe device the mandrel is turned at any desired speed and the bar-iron is rolled around the same, being pressed firmly against the mandrel by the swiveled roller 18. The bar is thus formed into a helix, and the helices successively come into contact with the cam-like stripper 21 and are forced lengthwise of the mandrel, the product of the machine being a substantially helical coil. Variation in the angular position of the stripper will not be found necessary in practice unless the variation in diameter of bars is considerably greater than that contemplated in the construction of the machine, a machine of a given strength being constructed for the formation of links from bars of comparatively small diameter and others of greater strength for bars of large diameter.

By the employment of a jack or spring-adjusting device the effective strength of the strain and the pressure exerted on the metal may be varied in accordance with the character of the metal, the diameter of the bariron, and the size of the link.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is l. The combination in a link-forming machine, of the revoluble mandrel, a grooved pressure-roller for cooperation therewith, a swiveled roller-support free to turn to present the roller at varying angles to the planeet' the axis of the mandrel, and a springr tending to force the roller and its support in the direction of the mandrel.

2. The combination in a link-forming machine, of the revoluble mandrel, a grooved pressure-roller for cooperation therewith, a swiveled frame carrying said roller and free to turn to present the roller at Varying angles to the plane of the axis of the mandrel, and a spring-supported bracket carrying said frame.

The combination in a link-forming machine, ofthe revolu ble mandrel, a verticallymovable spring-box, a lower movable plate, a spring between said plate and the upper portion of the spring-box, a spring-adjusting means engaging said plate, a bracket forming a part of the box, a frame swiveled on said bracket, and a grooved I nessure-roller carried by said frame.

4. The combination in a link-forming machine, of the frame having a vertical guideway, a rectangular open-bottom spring-box disposed in said guideway, a removable bottom plate for the spring-box, guard-strips secured to the lower edge ot' the box for maintaining the plate in position, a compressionspring having its opposite ends bearing re spectively against the upper portion of the box and the bottom plate, a jack in engagement with said plate, a bracket forming a part of the box and having a vertically-disposed opening therein, a revoluble mandrel, a stripper, a grooved pressure-roller, and a roller-supportingframe having apivotpin adapted to said opening.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own Ihave hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALBERT SENTER STANDISH.

Vitnesses:

CHAs. C. DIXON, J. E. DIXON.

IOO 

